Setting up DNS on Windows Server – Redis Knowledge Base

This article provides a complete walkthrough for Setting Up DNS on Windows Server to support Redis clusters. It covers Prerequisites, Step-by-Step Instructions, and Troubleshooting. Following this setup ensures your cluster nodes are reachable by FQDN and properly delegated for Redis high availability and failover.

Prerequisites

Administrative access to a Windows Server running DNS Manager
A registered base domain (e.g., example.com)
IP addresses for each Redis node
Redis Software installed (or ready for installation)
A subdomain chosen for the cluster (e.g., mycluster.example.com)

Step-by-Step Setup on Windows Server

1. Choose and Set the Cluster FQDN

Pick a subdomain for your cluster (e.g., mycluster.example.com)
This FQDN is permanent and must be set during installation
It can't be changed after the cluster is created

2. Configure FQDN During Redis Installation

During Redis installation, enter the selected FQDN in the Cluster Name / FQDN field
- In this case: mycluster.example.com
Redis configures a DNS server on each node that responds authoritatively for the subdomain

3. Set Up DNS in Windows Server

3.1 Start Delegation

Open DNS Manager
Right-click the parent zone (e.g., example.com) → New Delegation
Enter the subdomain (e.g., mycluster) → Click Next

3.2 Add Initial Name Server (Temporary)

In the wizard, click Add
Enter the IP address of node 1 in the Server FQDN field
Click Resolve → Finish the wizard (FQDNs will be updated next)

3.3 Create A Records for Cluster Nodes

Still in the parent zone (e.g., example.com), right-click → New Host (A or AAAA)

Create records:

node1.mycluster → [IP of node 1]
node2.mycluster → [IP of node 2]
node3.mycluster → [IP of node 3]

3.4 Update NS Records in Delegated Zone

Navigate to the mycluster zone
Right-click the existing NS Record → Properties

Replace placeholder IP entries with:

node1.mycluster.example.com
node2.mycluster.example.com
node3.mycluster.example.com

Click Resolve on each → OK → Apply
Confirm if asked to delete old glue records

3.5 Finalize and Verify

Right-click the zone → Refresh
Wait a few minutes for DNS propagation
Use tools like ping or nslookup to confirm FQDN resolution
Database endpoints now should be able to resolve (eg. redis-12000.mycluster.example.com)

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue	Likely Cause	Recommended Action
DNS doesn’t resolve node FQDNs	NS or A records are missing or incorrect	Double-check spelling, IPs, and ensure records are in correct zone
Cluster FQDN not reachable	DNS propagation incomplete or firewall is blocking port 53	Wait longer or verify DNS settings and port 53 is open on all nodes
Delegation fails in wizard	IP-based delegation incomplete	Use IP temporarily, then replace with node FQDNs after A records are created
Reverse DNS not resolving	PTR records not set (not required for Redis)	Redis does not require reverse DNS—this warning can be safely ignored
Cannot change cluster FQDN	FQDN is immutable after cluster creation	You must destroy and recreate the cluster to change the FQDN

Additional Resources

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